


Aimless Walking and Significant Moments

by greendalecoolcat



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post Season 3 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 11:13:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6516139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greendalecoolcat/pseuds/greendalecoolcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jeff reveals information to Annie. She takes him on a walk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aimless Walking and Significant Moments

**Author's Note:**

> Post Season 3 AU.

It was the first few weeks into their summer break when the group decided it was time for a much needed movie night. Everyone had been busy doing their own thing so they rarely had the chance to see one other.

It was Annie’s idea to get everyone together but much to her surprise, Pierce offered to host the gathering at his mansion. Apparently his reasoning had much to do with the fact that Troy, Abed, and Annie’s apartment had very few comfortable seating arrangements, “If I have to sit on that wooden chair one more time I’m going to blow my brains out!”

As plausible as Pierce’s claim was, Annie figured he just wanted everyone to see his infamous Hawthorne Wipes fortune. (He also kept insisting to Jeff that he should check out his “man cave” which was apparently filled with booze and tasteful furniture).

Everyone had responded rather quickly to the invitation, excited to catch up and spend time together. The only person who remained rather evasive was Jeff. He hadn’t responded to the group’s messages until the day of, keeping his playful quips to a minimum.

It was around 7 PM when everyone gathered at the mansion. Shirley baked brownies, Britta brought beer, Annie provided snacks, and Abed and Troy brought a slew of movies to choose from.

They were all standing in Pierce’s huge, retro-looking kitchen as they decided on a film.

“We have The Dark Night, The Empire Strikes Back, Alien, Avatar, and Kick-Puncher” Abed listed the movies.

“I’m so glad you picked movies everyone would enjoy…” Shirley said off-handedly.

“That’s why we picked them,” Abed said, clearly not picking up on her sarcasm.

“I say we watch Kick-Puncher! That movie will _never_ get old,” Troy sighed happily.

“We should watch a movie with a strong female lead! I have no desire to watch a bunch of men bitch and moan to each other‒” Britta was cut off by everyone’s moans.

 “We also have The Avengers,” Abed added.

“NO!” Jeff and Annie exclaimed at the same time. They quickly looked at each other and then back at their bickering friends.

“Oh for the love of God,” Jeff looked to the ceiling, “DORKS. We’re watching Alien. Troy, there’s enough action in that to fill the void of Kick-Puncher. Britta, Sigourney Weaver is a bad-ass. And Shirley, what did you expect when you let Abed pick out the movies?”

This got everyone to finally shut up, all looking rather chastised. Pierce then spoke up, “On that note, shall we all proceed over to the luxurious and expensive viewing room? Jeffrey, there is a seat next to mine with your name on it.”

“Can’t wait,” Jeff punctuated his response with a self-deprecating smile.

Everyone headed down the hall to begin the movie, but Annie noticed Jeff hanging back in the kitchen. She watched the group turn the corner and then she headed back towards Jeff. He was rummaging through various cupboards.

Annie peaked around the doorframe, “Jeff? You coming?”

“I’m here aren’t I?” He continued peaking inside the cabinets.

Annie noticed his clipped tone but decided it was best not to bring it up, “What are you looking for?”

“A drink.”

“I think Britta and Troy brought the beer with them to the other room,” Annie gestured behind her.

“I’m gonna need something a lot stronger than that if I’m spending the evening with the Wonder Twins and an overly eager Pierce,” Jeff said as he found what he was looking for. He took out a bottle of scotch and filled a nearby glass.

Annie looked at him with concern and decided to go for it, “Jeff are you okay? You’ve been really evasive these past few weeks and you’ve been extremely sarcastic but not in your usual loving way…” Annie made her way through the kitchen until she was standing in front of Jeff.

He was leaning against the counter as looked down at the amber liquid swirling around his glass. After a few moments of thoughtful silence, he finally spoke, “I found my dad.”

Annie gasped.

“Please don’t.”

Annie closed her mouth but continued to look at Jeff with concern. She tried to find the right words to say but after coming up blank she finally asked, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want everyone to make a big deal out of it. I still don’t,” Jeff looked at Annie pleadingly.

She looked at the drink in his hands and then back up to his eyes, “But it’s really bothering you, isn’t it?”

Jeff let out a sigh, “I don’t know. I guess.” Jeff looked away as he continued, “He’s been living over in Boulder. He’s been there for twenty years.”

“And you didn’t know?” Annie asked, hoping she was saying and asking the right things.

“Nope,” Jeff drained the rest of his scotch, “I think that’s why it bothers me so much. I spent so much of my life thinking he was so far out of reach, but it turns out he’s been an arm’s length away. Not giving me a second thought.” Jeff shook his head and laughed.

Annie’s heart broke for Jeff. She had no idea what to say to him, but she knew it was significant that he was sharing this with her.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he rolled his eyes.

“Sorry,” Annie looked down. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, let him feel like he was wanted. She wanted to fill the hole left by his father. But she didn’t want him run away and regret sharing this with her.

“Anyway. We should go,” Jeff nodded in the direction of their friends.

He started to push himself away from the counter when Annie spoke up again, “Or we could forget about the movie and explore the mansion?” She looked at him hopefully. She knew he wasn’t really up to watching a movie, especially now with this information looming between the two of them.

Jeff looked at her surprised, “Yeah…Definitely. Lead the way,” he waited for her to head out of the kitchen.

Annie smiled at him over her shoulder as she turned in the direction opposite from their friends.

They began aimlessly walking down different corridors looking for different rooms to explore. Annie tried thinking of conversation topics that might lift Jeff’s spirits, but their companionate silence was rather comfortable.

She was surprised when Jeff actually spoke, “I dare you to see what’s on the other side of those doors.” Jeff was pointing to a set of double doors at the end of the hall.

“What? Why me?”

“Because it’s most likely going to be something terrifying,” Jeff stopped in front of the door and crossed his arms. “Twenty bucks it’s either Pierce’s bedroom or his ‘man cave’.”

“Jeff! I don’t want to see either of those things,” she mirrored his position.

“C’mon, Annie. I dared you.”

“Are you twelve?”

“No, I’m just a guy who dared his friend to take a look behind a set of doors of this creepy mansion,” he said matter-of-factly.

Annie rolled her eyes and turned to face the door, “Fine, I’ll do it. But only if you agree to come save me from whatever Hell is on the other side.”

“Deal,” a smile grew on Jeff’s face.

 _He is so stupidly adorable_ , Annie thought. She sighed and placed her hand on the door handles and braced herself for the worst.

The doors pushed opened to reveal a not-at-all terrifying room. It was some sort of library, bookshelves covering the walls, and a large mahogany desk with a red leather chair.

“Holy crap,” Jeff looked at the room before him. “This isn’t horrifying or offensive at all.”

“Wow,” Annie agreed. She took a step into the room and walked over one of the bookshelves. “Jeff, these are actual, real books,” she ran her hand along the books neatly placed in rows, “Jane Austin, Tolkien, Hemmingway…”

Jeff walked up beside her, “Okay, maybe this _is_ a little creepy. Who knew Pierce had actual taste?”

“Jeff! We should give him more credit. He really wants to share his life with us…”

“Look Annie, that may be true but if he really wants to ‘share his life,’ he shouldn’t have given us a tour of his Laser Lotus worship room. I’ll never un-see that, Annie,” Jeff made his way to the couch at the center of the room. He sat back into the center, stretching his legs out in front of him.

Annie shook her head at his negativity, but she soon joined him on the couch, settling in the corner to his left.

He rolled his head to the side and looked at her, “Do you think he actually uses this room?”

“I’d like to think so.”

Jeff looked at Annie for a long moment, like he was trying to read what she was thinking, “You always look for the best in people, don’t you?”

Annie was caught off-guard by the turn in conversation. She looked at him and shrugged, “Well, somebody has to. Especially with this group,” she smiled and nudged his thigh with her shoe.

“Hey, don’t scuff up these jeans,” he grabbed her foot and pushed it away.

Annie’s heart quickened as Jeff left his hand in place. The lighting in the room was dim so he couldn’t see the blush that crept across her face. “Well maybe you should start seeing the better in people,” she said playfully.

“Well that’s what I have you for, Edison,” Jeff shot her a toothy grin.

God, she loved when he called her that. They held each other’s stare for a long while, just taking in another significant moment. They finally broke their gaze when they heard God awful music playing through the speakers.

They looked around the room in disgust, searching for the source of the interruption, “Ugh, I knew this room was too good to be true,” Jeff shook his head.

“Does he have it set on a timer?” Annie asked with disbelief.

Jeff removed his hand from her foot (oh yeah, it was still there) and leaned to his right to grab a journal off of the side table, “As a matter of fact… Yes. 8:30 is Groovy Good Times and at 9:00 it’s Super-Fly Sensations…”

“Oh God. Do I want to know what’s at 10?”

“No. No you don’t,” Jeff tossed the journal back on the table, “C’mon, let’s get out of here.” Jeff got up and held out his hand to help Annie off of the couch.

She looked at his hand and then his face and smiled. She grasped his hand stood in front of him, inches apart.

Jeff let out a small breath of laughter at the music and their close proximity, “Okay, lead the way,” he let go of her hand to gesture towards the door.

Annie did just that, but all she could think about was Jeff’s hand on her foot, and then it gripping her own hand. This entire year they’ve shared a collection of these little moments, and it felt like they were all finally leading up to something.

But she couldn’t help but think that Jeff didn’t feel ready. She didn’t need him to become this new man, she loved him for him. She loved his insecurities and his flaws and need to protect her. She loved that he was inexcusably sarcastic and genuinely funny. She loved that he had a heart the size of world, no matter how much he denied it. She just really‒

Wait she _loved_ him? She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t even realize they made it to the second floor. Jeff was still trailing behind her, having complete faith in wherever she was taking him.

“Um, I think…I think there’s a balcony over there,” sure enough, when she made her way down the hall, there were two glass doors leading to open fresh air. She stepped outside and made her way to the railing.

Jeff walked up beside her and rested his elbows across the stone, mirroring her position.

Annie’s mind was racing with thoughts of Jeff and their moments and these feelings that have built up over these three years. She loved him, maybe it was just that simple. But she didn’t know how to tell him. She didn’t want to scare him away. But she needed him to know in some capacity… “Jeff?”

“Hm?”

“I just…I want…” She let out a breath and recollected her thoughts, “I’m glad you told me about your dad. I know it must be really hard to deal with so…I’m happy you know you can talk to me about this stuff. I’m…always here for you,” she looked at him, hoping she said the right thing.

Jeff looked at the ground below them as she spoke, and when she finished he turned to face her, resting his head in his hand, “yeah, well, you’re easy to talk to,” he smiled at her. “And, you know, you make it a little easier to deal with.”

Now Annie turned to face him, a smile stretching across her lips, “You know, for someone who claims they don’t see the best in people, you’re really good at it.”

Jeff flicked her hair over her shoulder and let out a breath of laughter. He finally met her eyes, “I don’t do it for just anyone.”

Annie’s butterflies were back. They were having another significant moment. Maybe this was _the_ moment. Annie’s heart quickened once more. Were they always standing this close? They were slowly leaning towards each other, eyes searching.

When they were only a breath a part, Jeff paused looking vulnerable as ever, “Annie?”

“Yeah?” She whispered.

“I…I’m not the guy that you‒”

She cut him off with the crash of her lips against his. She held his face in her hands and pressed her entire body against him. She needed him to know that he was exactly who she wanted.

Jeff didn’t skip a beat, one hand gripped her waist while the other tangled in her hair. He didn’t need any more convincing.

The kiss felt like the one outside the Tranny Dance. Full of want and need and comfort. Annie never thought she’d feel anything close to it again. But she did, outside on the balcony. When they pulled away for a breath, they were still gripping one another with intensity, as if they let go, it would be for good.

After Annie caught her breath, she looked at him, “I want you. You got that?”

He laughed, shaking his head, “Yeah. Got it.” His placed his forehead against hers and then stole another kiss before releasing his hold on her.

They were both smiling stupidly at each other when Jeff’s phone went off. He fished it out of his pocket and found a new message from Britta, “I kind of forgot everyone else was downstairs… Britta is asking where we ran off to,” he held up his phone to show Annie.

“I forgot too…Maybe we should actually head back…”

“I’d rather stay up here,” Jeff ran a hand down her arm.

Annie laughed and rolled her eyes, “As much as I would love that, we should go catch the end of the movie.” She tugged at his hand and they began to make their way down to their friends.

They walked silently down the stairs, but Jeff was the next to speak, “We should do this again sometime,” he grinned and squeezed her hand that was entwined with his.

“Absolutely,” she smiled. They walked by the kitchen, reminding Annie of their earlier conversation, “Hey, you never said what you were going to do about your dad…Are you gonna see him?”

Jeff thought a moment before answering, “I’m not sure yet.” He paused once more, “but I’ll let you know.”

Annie gave him a reassuring smile.

She didn’t tell him that she loved him, but they had a lot of time for that later. She was grateful for the fact that they both undeniably and unconditionally wanted each other.

And that was enough for now.


End file.
